New hockey league set; EPHL's fate in question

By Dan S. Cohen, STAFF WRITER

Published 11:29 pm, Monday, August 31, 2009

With a new regional hockey league having announced Sunday that it will begin its inaugural season later this year, speculation has intensified concerning the future of the Eastern Professional Hockey League.

The press release announcing the formation of the North East Professional Hockey League, combined with former EPHL commissioner Jim Riggs' abrupt departure last week, has fueled questions on the EPHL's standing, which was tenuous to start with.

Whether any of the existing EPHL teams would merge with the NEPHL is unknown at this time. The new league will consist of teams in unspecified cities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, with the possibility of additional locations in the future.

The EPHL was expected to announce its own expansion plans for the 2009-10 season by now. League officials haven't returned calls, however, with the exception of Brooklyn Aces owner Alan Friedman, who indicated there would be news concerning the EPHL by Tuesday "at the latest."

Riggs held the post of EPHL commissioner for the 2008-09 season until last Wednesday when he was named executive vice president of the International League's Quad City Mallards.

That left the EPHL without a commissioner and only Friedman and EPHL president Curtis Russell (Jersey Rockhoppers, Hudson Valley Bears) as active team owners, with Tim Kolpien apparently in negotiations to sell the Danbury Mad Hatters.

The most likely prospects would be having two or three EPHL teams join the new league, or having the EPHL fold altogether. A major expansion would seem the most far-fetched scenario at this point.

Meanwhile, the NEPHL is moving forward with plans for a 44-game regular season schedule, starting in November of this year. To keep expenses low, a weekly salary cap will be in place.

"Our intentions are to provide economical and exciting entertainment for the entire family," said Kirk McDonough, the NEPHL president.

"We have identified strong ownership groups who not only understand the business end of professional sports, but also possess a respect for the integrity of the game of ice hockey. The owners are excited to hit the ground running."

Exactly who the owners are and which teams are involved hasn't been spelled out yet. McDonough said that the owners, teams, players, arenas and ticket pricing will be announced "in the coming weeks."

Not only will the NEPHL operate in the same basic geographic market as the EPHL, but it apparently expects to draw players from the same general talent pool that the EPHL has drawn from.

"There are more than enough talented hockey players in the Northeast, particularly in the New England region," McDonough said. "This will provide for many to realize a dream of playing professionally, develop their skills or just continue the camaraderie of sport.

"Many will be local players, still close to home and still able to get paid some money for doing what they love the most."

The new league will also be making an announcement shortly on a strategic partnership with a major hockey equipment company.

"We will be announcing a partnership with a major provider of hockey sticks and other equipment," McDonough said.